#taking a small inside ref and making it an edit for you? that's love <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[hungriestheidi]

oscarmark, fathers and words of praise for @piastriachios

[justicegundam82]

5E D&D to Pathfinder 1E Conversion: Golden Goose

I'm back with a new creature for all those who might be interested. This time, after taking a look at the 5E expansion book "Bigby Presents: Glory Of The Giants", I was intrigued by several of the new critters, especially by the Giant Goose. So I decided I might as well try to convert it to Pathfinder First Edition, and this is the result. I changed the name somewhat because "Giant Goose" sounded a little unoriginal to me...

Again, if anyone wants to point out mistakes or imbalances I've made, I would be very grateful, since I'm still kind of inexperienced at writing new monsters.

That said, I hope you will enjoy this conversion.

GOLDEN GOOSE

Image (c) Cynthia Sheppard, for Wizards of the Coast

This goose is large enough that a person could ride comfortably on its back, and has a pleasant golden sheen to its plumage.

GOLDEN GOOSE CR 3

XP 800

N Large Magical Beast

Init+3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +13

DEFENSE

AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 natural, -1 size)

hp 30 (4d10+8)

Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +2

ATTACK

Speed 30 ft., fly 90 ft. (average)

Melee bite +6 (1d6+3), 2 wings +1 (1d4+1)

Special Attacks thunderous honk

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 6

Base Atk +4; CMB +8; CMD 21

Feats Dodge, Skill Focus (Perception)

Skills Fly +7, Perception +13, Swim +7; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception

Languages Giant, Sylvan (cannot speak)

Special Qualities golden egg

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate or cold lakes and rivers

Organization solitary, pair, gaggle (3-8) or plump (9-16)

Treasure incidental plus golden egg (see below)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Golden Egg (Ex): Once per month, as a full-round action and only when commanded by its keeper, a golden goose can lay a golden egg, an hollow shell of gold, 1 foot long and weighing about 2 pounds. The shell is worth 100-400 (1d4 x 100) gp. Sometimes, the egg inexplicably contains some kind of small trinket or minor magic item. The GM can determine the contents of a golden egg by rolling 1d12 and confronting the result with the table below.

1-6 : The egg is empty.

7: The egg is empty, but the inside of the shell is inscribed with a poem or an intricate illustration.

8: A candy egg.

9: A small toy goose that makes a loud honking noise when squeezed.

10: A potion of cure light wounds

11: A scroll of bless

12: An elixir of love

At the GM’s discretion, a golden goose’s egg can be also used to give characters an item that’s important to the story of an adventure or a campaign.

Thunderous Honk (Sp): Once every 1d4+1 rounds, a golden goose can honk with ear-splitting volume. Each creature within 20 feet of the goose (other than the goose itself) takes 2d6 points of sonic damage and is deafened for 1 round. A successful Fortitude save (DC 14) halves the damage and negates the deafened condition. The save DC is Constitution-based.

A magical, oversized version of common, harmless waterfowl, golden geese are rumored to have originated in lands ruled by the faerie. They are often kept by giants as livestock, both for their eggs and because they make for excellent sentries. A golden goose has keen sight and hearing, which allows them to locate unfamiliar creatures with ease, and are capable of emitting loud warning honks that are easily heard in a wide radius. Making them even more valuable is the golden geese’s ability to lay eggs made of pure gold. While the creature is unable to produce more than a single golden egg in a month’s time, gaggles of golden geese kept in captivity can produce a remarkable amount of gold, sometimes even accompanied by a minor magic item or two. However, a golden goose is sapient and will only produce a golden egg if ordered to by a creature it recognizes as its master – at the GM’s discretion, a series of Bluff, Intimidate or Diplomacy checks might be needed in order to be accepted as such by the strong-willed and often unruly creature.

Despite their heightened intelligence, the behavior of golden geese is not much different from that of mundane waterfowl, being gregarious birds that form flocks for mutual protection. They are mostly herbivores, feeding on aquatic plants, weed, roots and grains, but may occasionally integrate their diet with small animals like mice or snakes. Particularly caring masters, usually cloud or storm giants, have been known to share their meals with their favorite golden goose. They tend to pair-bond in long-term monogamous relationships, involving elaborate courtship and displays of affection, and homosexual pairs are not unheard of. A fertile female lays an average of four to six eggs at a time, but fewer eggs or larger numbers are not unusual. Both parents are involved in parental care.

In combat, a golden goose is aggressive and straightforward, opening up with a supernaturally loud honk that will weaken and disorient its victims. Then, it will usually close in on the least-armored opponent and batter it with its beak and wings, honking again as soon as it is able to. Golden geese are not immune to each other’s thunderous honks, and they are smart enough to know that. When more than a single golden goose is met at a time, they will try to position out of their companions’ range and catch opponents in the radius of multiple thunderous honks.

A golden goose is about 9 feet tall, with a wingspan for 16 feet from tip to tip. Their plumage varies in coloration just as much as that of regular geese, but their feathers are always tipped with gold.

[wristwatchjournal]

Interview – Chris Grainger-Herr on the New 2020 IWC Portugieser Collection, the Big Pilot Safari and COVID-19 (warning: long read)

I guess I need to start this interview with an apology. Sorry, this interview is long, very long, comprising close to 3,000 words. However, the conversation with Chris Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, was great and there was just so much to say about the new Portugiesers. We had the conversation two weeks ago, in the midst of the COVID-19 lock-down. Chris was in his office, in Schaffhausen, and the interview was done through a zoom-meeting. It’s weird, not sitting together for a talk, but it is what it is and I guess for the foreseeable future this is going to be the new normal. 

Personally I am quite pleased with the new Portugieser line-up; there’s a lot to like! Of course, I’d love to put the new Portugieser Perpetual Calendar on the wrist and see/feel how the 42mm diameter works with such a classic beauty. And the Portugieser Automatic 40 with its small second sub-dial at 6 o’clock looks fabulous and I’m curious how the old Portugieser and the new one with in-house movement will compare, in the metal. Of course, I was also curious to hear if production had been started up again, but that led to the expected ‘evasive’ answers. Like when asking how much the annual production is… Well, rest assured, we had enough to talk about. Good luck with the 3k words!

Frank Geelen, MONOCHROME: It’s the year of the new Portugieser. We’ve already seen the new Portugieser Chronograph with in-house calibre 69000. What are, according to you, the most defining new models in the Portugieser collection?

Chris Granger-Herr, CEO of IWC Watches: To really answer that, we have to look at the DNA of that collection. You know the story very well, but it’s really all about our connection to water and navigation. You think about the journey of Jones (editor: founder of IWC Schaffhausen) already crossing the Atlantic, then using water power. The hydropower from the river to set up the factory and power the factory, and then we see that leading to his reputation for precise pocket watch movements, which meant that our watches started to be used as the navigation watches on ships and boats all around the globe. That was really the starting point for this idea of these Portuguese businessmen who wanted to order wristwatches with marine chronometer precision and IWC was only able to satisfy that requirement by putting an oversized pocket watch movement into a wristwatch.

IWC Portuguese Ref.325 from 1942

IWC pocket watch movements, calibre 73 and 74, also used in the first Portuguese wristwatches

Of course, back in the 1930s, all of the watches were tiny and square and so on. So to make a 40.5mm hand-wound three-hand watch was really not what clients expected at the time. These first watches were made in relatively small numbers all the way to the late 1980’s when there was a German special edition. But, what it did, even though it was maybe a little bit ahead of its time, as in those days the trend wasn’t towards oversized case design, it defined the DNA of the Portugieser. It was the DNA of the pocket watch sized case, together with that clear legible dial and Arabic numerals and point arrows, and that marine chronometer precision that turns the watch into a nautical instrument for the wrist.

The Ref. 325 defined the DNA of the Portugieser

We then look at how this went on in our history and say there have been three pillars that define the Portugieser. You see the Ref. 325 and then, later on, the Portugieser chronograph in the 1990s. Then, secondly, the sort of complicated Portugieser, which is based on the introduction of Kurt Klaus’ perpetual calendar into the Portugieser in 2003, and then finally the Yacht Club, which was the sports elegant version of the Portugieser launched in 2010. And it’s those three pillars that we’re building on now and completing that collection if you will.

There were a couple of things that were just missing from the family. That is both a more wearable automatic model and wearable perpetual calendar. And a number of complications and then, of course, a factor we have not had is a metal on metal sports elegant chronograph, which we would add, by making sure that the third generation Yacht Club is primarily is a metal on metal bracelet model. So, really we now have a collection of all in-house movements in the Portugieser collection that are all made in the Manufacture Zentrum.

One of the things I’m especially proud of is that we have three in-house chronograph calibres in the same family. The 69 in the Portugieser chronograph, the 89 in the Yacht Club, and the 59 in the Portugieser Mono-pusher, actually meaning that we have a huge range of different in-house calibres that basically are the main calibres from Schaffhausen and the Portugieser line.

Then when we go through the actual sort of models I’m introducing, it’s that 40mm automatic that’s directly based on the DNA of that 325, so a more wearable size. The 82 calibre in-house movement, glass case-back and small seconds at 6 o’clock with no date, so very pure and very Portugieser. Also, it’s the new access price point of the new Portugieser line at 7,500 EUR. We were able to position it just below the Portugieser chronograph which now features the in-house 69 calibre chronograph movement, glass case back and the new folding clasp system that makes sure that the watch sits on the wrist a bit more centered.

As for the complications, we’re launching a perpetual calendar based on calibre 82, which then means we were able to reduce the size from 44mm to 42mm and have a complimentary offering with a three sub-counter perpetual calendar with a leap year indication, making sure that this becomes again a more wearable perpetual calendar (and the four-digit year display is still available on the big Portugieser Perpetual Calendar.)

That actually is rather interesting as it’s the first time I see a perpetual calendar from IWC in a 3-6-9 layout. Usually, IWC Perpetual Calendars feature a sub-dial at ‘every corner’ of the dial. So it’s the first time we see the classic 3-6-9 layout with no sub-dial at 12. Was it a deliberate choice to move the moon-phase to a different position and create a 3-6-9 layout? 

Yes, I think there are two reasons for that. Number one is that I really think it’s a nice logical architecture where the Portugieser Automatic 40 has one sub-counter being the small seconds and the Chrono has two and the Automatic Seven Days has two and the small PPC (Portugieser Perpetual Calendar) has three sub-counters. Then it goes to four sub-counters for the big complications.

And then secondly, it gives us the flexibility to turn the perpetual calendar into a better ‘tourbillon combination’ complications in the future where you can have that 12 o’clock position available for a tourbillon complication. It’s always been a little bit of a struggle with a big perpetual calendar of the 51-calibre where you’re trying to better integrate that dual function of tourbillon and moon-phase, but you have to reengineer basically the entire dial layout to make that possible, so this gives us the flexibility to upgrade the movement and integrate complications in the future.

And as you say, it’s a very classic layout and when you see it in the flesh, and that’s what I like about this watch, is the fact that despite being quite a bit flatter and smaller than the 44, it totally feels like a Portugieser case on the wrist. Add that balance between still having that instrument feel, it has a presence and is a much more wearable form and it’s actually one that I’ve started to pick up and wear time and again, even though most of the things I have access to are double the cost (laughs), but still it’s something I really enjoy, wearing this watch.

You mentioned already that the three in-house chronograph movements are all made in Schaffhausen, which is quite a big achievement for IWC. When we take it from the previous Portugieser chronograph movement to your new in-house movement, there had to be many adaptations and changes from one movement to the other.

Yes, but not in terms of dial layout as we engineered the 69 calibre specifically to fit both the free sub-dial layout that we have in the Spitfire chronograph, for example, but also the two sub-dial layout, no date Portugieser chronograph, so we made sure when we designed the movement that it would fit those iconic pieces by IWC.

What you have now is obviously the column-wheel in this chronograph cal. 69 and a lot of technical updates and a lot of innovation that we’re bringing. One thing I was really looking for is that you have quite an IWC-specific haptic feel of the pusher activation and you feel that in the chronographs and it’s quite a different pusher experience. That was always something that I wanted to improve on and we managed on the 69 to have that very engineered feel to the pushers and the reset function.

And, of course, it’s a movement that is absolutely spot on in terms of quality. That was also one of the key reasons for being able to scale this movement and that we were able to then have the ability to introduce the 8-years warranty, based on all these developments which have been made through the new manufacturing centre in terms of engineering quality. => check here for our video we filmed inside the new manufacture.

And design-wise, you kept the Portugieser Chronograph pretty much what it was. That is something I saw with a lot of pleasure, well you know my position on this I think. But how easy or difficult was it to keep the same proportions and looks? 

It’s actually much harder to achieve than you think. When we designed all of the characteristics of the movement and the way the movement is held in the case, we redesigned the case completely from the ground up. I mean, the only thing you can argue is more or less the same thing as before is the dial with the exception of the design of the logo, but the way the hands have been manufactured and the way the case is integrated with the case components and glass case back, everything is new but feels and looks the same. So that’s exactly what we were trying to do. But, we need to upgrade and correct both the technical content and the ergonomics and make sure we really have a strong package in one of the most iconic designs for IWC.

Very happy to see that. The perpetual calendar, we’ve already talked about it briefly. Is this a continuation of the old perpetual calendar, developed by Kurt Klaus, that was used or is it entirely from the ground up?

It’s not from the ground up, but it’s re-engineered. Possibly you’ll see a completely different layout because of the dimension of the movement and year indication and so on. What’s underneath, technically, is a first-class module with some upgrades already in this movement as we’re also developing the next level of the big perpetual calendar as well. One of the key things is in the date switch function; there’s a lever which basically grants the movement from desynchronizing at the point of setting. That’s one of the things that we are continuously working on to make sure that the link synchronization between all the different aspects of time and movement, date and moon, comes together more and more, because obviously this is one of the risks of perpetual calendars; by error it desynchronizes that much, you’d need a watchmaker intervention, so this something we’re working on to make sure we improve over time.

IWC Big Pilot Safari as it was ‘launched’ via Instagram

By the way, you’re wearing something that makes me a little bit jealous (editor’s note: Chris is wearing the Big Pilot Safari.) I just did an interview with a collector who owns a BP Safari. I was too late when you launched the Safari on Instagram. I desperately wanted one too, so, in the end, I bought an old 5002. It was very good just to show the power of Instagram. Was this intended as a social media experiment?

The interesting thing with these things, that I often discuss with the team, is that I don’t think you can force this. But in this case with the Safari it just happened totally organically. But initially, it was not the plan. It wasn’t even the plan to launch the watch at the time and then I literally responded to what happened. I think this is like when you have the marketing discussions of how we can make something go viral. Well, you can’t. And you just have to go along with it, and if it happens, it happens. There’s no way you can create social media hype and there’s just nothing like when things happen organically. You don’t have to push it and you don’t have to force it. That’s also why to the dismay of many of our other clients this was a little bit uncoordinated as it literally just happened. Of course, we had no system in place at the time to ask all of the right people first and so on, so it ended up a bit chaotic.

A few questions on the current situation. A few weeks ago we had a story on potential changes to the industry and now we think there are quite a few things that will create changes a bit faster than usual. What do you see as the main transformations for the industry to survive?

It’s interesting as obviously it’s anything but a positive situation in terms of the suffering and people losing their lives, and it’s anything but what we wanted. On the other hand, I think the world had a crash course in video calling and remote working. And quite interestingly, certain changes which had been very slow over the years have now been forced very quickly and everyone discovered that it works. We all discovered Zoom and new ways with being in touch with each other and presenting things digitally all via live streaming. I do think this has created a habit and it’s probably also accelerated things like people’s online shopping habits in a way that’s just out of sheer need and requirement out of the current situation. You see the explosion of activity at Amazon for instance.

if anything good is coming out of this, it’s the realization that we have to tackle the big topics and challenges together

It’s also for people that may have been hesitant in the past and it’s now become part of normal life. I think that clearly will drive a certain degree of changed behaviour. I don’t think it will end the future of retail shops or personal contact or travelling or anything like that. There are a couple of things I hope to see happen at the moment. One is it’s the first time in my lifetime where we’ve had a really strong demonstration of the fact that our globalized world is really connected as one single system, really tightly. Because before that there was all the political protectionist discussions and licensing fees and cross borders streaming and more of this, there was still this idea that was us and them. Like it’s just another part of the world that doesn’t affect us immediately even though all of our things are produced there. I do think that this really made us realize how tightly the entire global system is connected and how one corner of the world can affect the rest of the world very quickly.

So, if anything good is coming out of this, it’s the realization that we have to tackle the big topics and challenges together. It’s not a question of religion or country of political divides of cultures, but it’s a question of just either addressing it or not addressing it and that’s hopefully something that’s come out of this quite strongly.

The second thing, I think, is that it makes us think about how we consume resources. I think everyone’s seen how the earth has to a certain extent has recovered quite quickly now through this radical change in how we live and our activity and I hope that in a certain way it makes us think twice about the balance between all the positive aspects of globalization and connectiveness and being there and travelling and experiencing each other’s cultures which is the greatest peacekeeper on earth which is fantastic and at the same time questioning a little bit how we consume and how often we replace things and how many times we need to update our electronic gadgets and throw them away. And certain things can just be done by video conference and we don’t need to get on a plane to go somewhere and see a Powerpoint presentation. That little bit of a change will hopefully balance it out in terms of how we deal with our planet around us.

The post Interview – Chris Grainger-Herr on the New 2020 IWC Portugieser Collection, the Big Pilot Safari and COVID-19 (warning: long read) appeared first on Wristwatch Journal.

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[thehowtostuff-blog]

Training hamsters can be a tricky business, as they can be much more anxious and more easily scared than other pets. Hamsters can be trained with patience and lots of snacks, though it doesn't always work — some rodents simply never learn their own name, whereas others quickly associate human voices with treats. When training hamsters, be gentle, talk softly, and let them come to you rather than force them to like you. After a few weeks of training, your hamster will come running up to you just like a little dog or cat would!

EditSteps

EditEstablishing Trust through Food

Give your hamster a few weeks to adjust to its new surroundings. When you get a new hamster, it is very natural for them to feel anxiety and stress being in a new place. Don't fuss over it for the first few days, just give it food and water and talk softly around it so it doesn't get scared just by seeing you.[1]

It is essential that the hamster gets used to your scent and the noises of the house before you continue. Hamsters are easily startled creatures, so if you try to train it while it is still getting used to everything, the process will be much more difficult.

Place a sunflower seed or other treat in the palm of your hand. You should choose a treat that you know your hamster loves. Sunflower seeds are usually a great choice, but keep in mind that these are high in fat and should only be reserved for the occasional treat. Specialty hamster snacks or fresh veggies will get their attention as well.[2]

Wash your hands with unscented soap before and after handling your hamster, as strong odors on your hands might alarm it.

Move the treat to the opposite side of the cage to entice the hamster. With your hand at the opposite end of the cage where your hamster is sitting, slowly raise the treat up and down to get the smell of the treat to your hamster's nose and bring their attention to the snack.[3] Your hand's movement should be non-threatening and slow.

Keep in mind that some hamsters - such as the dwarf varieties - will consider movements a threat and either run for safety or bite! If your hamster appears frightened by you, stop moving, and try again after a few minutes.

Let your hamster take the treat when it comes up to you. Don't say its name yet — this exercise is about establishing trust between you and your hamster. If it knows it can get treats from you, it won't act so defensive and will start to like you.[4]

Try to avoid handling the hamster until it trusts you intrinsically, or you may have to start the trust-building process all over again.[5]

Hold a treat in your closed hand after a few days of building trust. Your hamster will start to understand that you are not a threat, and will willingly come up to you to look for the snack it smells.[6]

If your hamster hasn't started to trust you yet, just keep trying for a few more days. After a while, it will stop biting and being skittish and will come to feel safe even with you towering over it.[7]

Put out your hand without a treat to see if your hamster responds. If your hamster has been willingly coming up to your hand to get snacks, it probably trusts and likes you a lot more than it did the first day.[8] See what happens when you hold out your hand without a snack — if they come to your hand, congratulations! Your hamster feels safe around you.

If your hamster doesn't come to inspect your hand, or approach you at all, simply keep trying each day until you develop a mutual feeling of respect with the hamster. It may take several days of training with snacks and food, but eventually it will come around and feel safe around your presence.

EditResponding to its Name

Release your hamster in a small enclosed space. Make sure that your hamster cannot escape from this space. You can use cardboard to create a playpen that is too tall to jump over, a room with no cabinets or couches to hide under, or the bathroom with a baby gate up to keep your hamster in the same room as you.[9] Make sure you can sit in this space with your hamster — this will force it to get comfortable being around a much larger creature.

Your hamster's natural instinct will be to run away and hide anywhere it can. Look for small holes in the cabinets and small hiding spots that you can't reach, and watch the hamster the whole time.

Use treats again to get your hamster to feel safe around you. While you are both enclosed in the same space, get some small treats, such as sunflower seeds or carrots, and place them into your hand.[10]

If you are lucky, your hamster will trust you enough already to jump up and try to take the snacks away. Don't let them have one until you have completed name recognition training.

Call your hamster's name with a treat in your hand. Call out your hamster's name while you sit across from it and let it smell and investigate the treat. Keep calling its name until it responds and comes over to you.[11]

Only let your hamster take its treat when it successfully comes over to you after you call its name. Don't let it just take snacks without hearing its name.

Let it eat the snack, and repeat the process for a few days. Let it take the snack, and call its name again with another snack a few minutes later. You should do this for a few days, until you feel that your hamster starts to understand the connection between your voice and food.

You can usually tell your hamster understands the connection between your call and getting snacks when it starts running over to you when you don't say its name.[12] You should try to reinforce its name by avoiding saying anything else around the hamster while you are training it.

Call its name but don't offer a snack after a few days. If your hamster comes running over even when you don't have a snack, that means it responds to your voice thinking you will have a snack. Relationships between small animals and people are mostly based on food, so by this point it recognizes that you are the provider of treats and will start to trust your voice as a source of good eats.[13]

If your hamster still isn't responding to your calls without a snack being offered as well, keep offering a snack every time you call its name until it associates your voice with food.

It may take several days, even weeks, before your hamster understands very basic human communication.

EditMaintaining Trust

Let your hamster out of the enclosed space to explore a bigger area. Hamsters, like all rodents, like to explore and roam, even if they prefer to sleep and nest in a small area.[14] Watch your hamster closely and let it have free reign of the house once you know it will come to you at your call.

If you have a particularly small hamster, look for places it can hide. It may be fine around you when you have snacks, but could go back to being anxious and skittish when it is given a place to escape to.

Never ever use hamster balls to let your hamster explore, as they are traumatic and scary for small animals. Just keep a close eye on it, as you would with a dog, so you can catch it if it goes for the trash or tries to chew up your linens.[15]

Call its name every so often, but only give it a snack sometimes. If you trained it correctly over the course of a week or two, it should come scampering towards you. Have a treat ready every now and again so you can reinforce the association between snacks and your voice, but don't offer snacks every time or it might get fat and greedy. Don't avoid giving it snacks either, as the association between your voice and snacks may deteriorate with time.

Over time, offer snacks less and less until you only have to give it a few snacks a day for it to keep responding to you.[16]

If your hamster doesn't respond to your call, you may need to go through some training steps again, but it could also just be sleeping in a corner. Keep a close eye on your hamster so you know exactly what it is up to while it is out.

Handle your hamster delicately and talk softly so it feels safe. One of the number one ways to make your hamster distrust you is to handle it incorrectly. Don't grab the hamster, or pick it up quickly, instead allow the hamster to crawl towards you and gently lift it with your palm open or cupped underneath it.[17] It is more important that the hamster comes to you and accepts you than it is for you to cuddle it and smother it.

Talking in a soft voice is recommended as some hamsters are easily scared by loud noises. They generally respond well to higher pitch voice, but don't say their name in a shrill manner or you risk scaring it as well.

EditTips

Trying giving your hamster wet or dry fruits as treats, but do your research and be sure you aren't giving it any foods that may harm its health or kill it!

Be as calm as possible when picking up your hamster.

If your hamster bites you, use gloves when handling and training it.

If you have multiple hamsters, only train one at a time. Put the other hamsters in a separate cage, or your hamsters may get confused.

Don't be discouraged if it doesn't work in a few months or even at all. Hamsters aren't like dogs and may just never get it. Just keep at it and try your best! But if it doesn't work out then your hamster just may not understand human communication.

Reward your hamster with treats when training or taming it.

EditWarnings

Never use a hamster ball to let your hamster run around the house. Hamster balls are terrifying for all rodents, because they are trapped in a small space and hear and see things in a distorted way. As cute as plastic balls may look rolling around the house, it is not a pleasant experience for the hamster trapped inside.[18]

EditThings You'll Need

Enclosed space

Hamster treats

A glove (if your hamster bites)

EditRelated wikiHows

Set Up a Hamster Cage

Clean Out a Hamster Cage

EditSources and Citations

EditQuick Summary

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[walkonwalkonwithhopeinyourheart]

Post-Match Day Thread: Leicester 1 - 2 Liverpool via /r/LiverpoolFC

Post-Match Day Thread: Leicester 1 - 2 Liverpool

The 100% win record continues!

Liverpool 1 - 0 Brighton

Player Ratings

Player WhoScored SofaScore TAW This is Anfield Liverpool Echo Average Notes Alisson 6.2 6.4 6.0 6.0 5.0 5.9 Alexander-Arnold 6.5 6.4 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.2 89' sub off Gomez 7.1 7.3 10.0 8.0 9.0 8.3 Van Dijk 6.9 6.8 8.0 6.0 6.0 6.7 Robertson 7.2 6.9 8.0 7.0 6.0 7.0 Wijnaldum 6.2 6.0 5.0 6.0 5.0 5.6 Henderson 6.4 6.3 7.0 6.0 6.0 6.3 71' sub off Milner 7.8 7.5 8.0 6.0 7.0 7.3 Salah 6.8 6.8 7.0 6.0 5.0 6.3 71' sub off Firmino 7.8 6.8 6.0 7.0 6.0 6.7 Mane 8.0 7.6 8.0 7.5 7.0 7.6 Starting XI avg 7.0 6.8 7.2 6.5 6.2 6.7 Keita 6.1 6.7 - 6.5 6.0 5.1 71' sub on Shaqiri 5.9 6.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 6.6 71' sub on Matip 6.0 - - - - 6.0 89' sub on​

There's been an overall downwards trend on the player ratings across the board and I think that's a fair reflection of the on-field performances. Joe Gomez takes Man of the Match which is well deserved imo. Wijnaldum is the lowest rated starter and I think that's very harsh. Particularly after Henderson went off I thought he was very good.

Title Race

It's still early doors of course, but below are some of the highlights of the teams that have played all four games.

Pos Team GP Won Drawn Lost GF GA GD Points 1 Liverpool 4 4 0 0 9 1 8 12 2 Chelsea 4 4 0 0 10 3 7 12 3 Manchester City 4 3 1 0 11 3 8 10 7 Everton 4 1 3 0 7 6 1 6

Ourselves and Chelsea are (currently) the only two with 100% win records, though Spurs could keep up with us if they win today. I think it's interesting that City are having the start we would have probably have had, all other things being equal. Dropping points against a lower table side away (Wolves/Palace), clearing up at home, putting in goals but not looking 100% at the races. I'm interested to see if that plays out.

On to the comparisons. The chart below displays the cumulative points totals over the four games:

https://i.imgur.com/uQWNhCM.png

We're still well above the average. Interestingly, half the champions over the last 10 years dropped points in their fourth game. If I had (even more) time on my hands I'd look at when international breaks fell in these seasons and if they had a similar split.

The next graph is for goals scored, with Leicester (15/16) in dark blue and Manchester City (17/18) in light blue being our lower and upper figures.

https://i.imgur.com/9F4bccA.png

We're still below the average, but slap bang between Leicester and City.

The final graph is goals conceded. Manchester United are both used for comparisons, with 08/09 (upper) and 12/13 (lower) seasons.

https://i.imgur.com/vplC3b7.png

Ugh I was hoping we'd never see that red line uptick. Anyway, absolutely no issues. We're by far the lowest number of goals conceded.

I've filled out the spreadsheet a bit more so if you want to have a look it's below:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1D7aM5g9Pqhnt2y58BdFUc4xTp3epreMhKMlpEVgQOdY/edit?usp=sharing

Match Events

Goals Sadio Mané 10' 0-1 Roberto Firmino 45' 0-2 Rachid Ghezzal 63' 1-2

Links Post-Match Thread - credit /u/DerSchlangeman/ Match Thread Pre-Match Thread - credit /u/_cumblast_

Thoughts

Line Up

Klopp decides to shuffle his pack, and it's Naby Keita who dropped out for Henderson. I think he was looking for more cohesion in the middle against what was likely to be a strong Leicester attack, so he goes with the three he trusted for the majority of last season. Did it work? We won the game, we didn't concede through the middle, so I suppose you'd have to say it did.

Elsewhere, Fabinho was still notable in his absence. I imagine Klopp is targeting the Chelsea League Cup game at Anfield for his first appearance of the season.

Mané Goal

Discussion https://i.imgur.com/PnsBPfl.png This goal is all about Robbo's perseverance. When he picks up the ball in this wide area I think his only thought is to get down the flank and cut it back to the middle of the field where we have a bit of space. https://i.imgur.com/u7lrXRc.png Lmao https://i.imgur.com/2XysFzW.png Now Leicester are in a really bad position. There's an overload in the middle of the box and all that Robbo needs to do is to find a red shirt. https://i.imgur.com/eDSqoq1.png Maguire does get unlucky because his deflection just takes it into Mané's stride, but we had three guys around him at the time so even if he did get good contact on it we would have been in a good position to get the ball back quickly.

Firmino Goal

Discussion https://i.imgur.com/gSKfOI9.png And of course after complaining about our bad set pieces last week we go and score from one this week. It's a dead simple one as well. Firmino is being marked by Madison in the middle, but the key here is VVD. He's going to make a movement towards the goal. https://i.imgur.com/H6fYdc4.png He essentially pushes through Firmino, this draws Madison's attention and leaves Firmino free to escape. https://i.imgur.com/nrA2a8M.png Madison knows he's fucked up. Firmino is left in yards of space right around the penalty spot, and all we need is to find him. https://i.imgur.com/YXiQVPr.png Madison does good work trying to recover but he can't quite make up the ground and Firmino is able to power home.

Ghezzal Goal

Discussion Just going to start with what I said last week: "There are going to be occasions when it goes wrong and we are going to concede as a result." https://i.imgur.com/XDtaMMx.png We need to look at the whole passage of play though, because there are issues throughout. Firstly, Henderson gets the ball here and he has no options. Leicester are pushing up really high and every passing lane is being covered. He lays it off to Gomez, who also has very few options. https://i.imgur.com/9k61uQT.png I think there is a first time ball on to Firmino but he hesitates slightly and Leicester close him down, forcing him to turn back. This is mistake #1 in my eyes. https://i.imgur.com/VkkE7pY.png Gomez does actually evade the press and lays it off to Henderson, who decides to play a first time ball to VVD. This is mistake #2. I think playing it in such a rash manner invites the pressure from Leicester, who can see they're forcing us into errors and rushed passes. Was VVD in space? Sure. However, I think he could have played it out to the wing in the same manner, giving us an opportunity to escape, or just put his foot on the ball for a second. He was being pressed but he had Milner near by in case anything went wrong. This is perhaps a bit of rustiness from Henderson, who at this point was clearly tiring. https://i.imgur.com/DBXuKm6.png Because the pass was rushed it wasn't the greatest ball. VVDs touch also lets him down, and now he's in trouble (mistake #3). He knows that there's a Leicester player potentially running in behind him, and there's a man in front also closing him down. https://i.imgur.com/hD5F4MI.png van Dijk does recover well, and lays it back to the keeper. This, for me, is the biggest mistake (#4). Big Virge is looking up so he knows roughly where Alisson is going to be standing. Now, as a defender you're always taught to play the ball outside of the posts, to prevent comedy own goals, so from a fundamental point he's done nothing wrong. He's also played the ball to Alisson's strong (right) side. However, whilst I can't find a replay from behind the goal it's quite clear that Alisson is moving to his left. He has the football skills to play it on his left. Instead, Virgil plays it quite far to his right and forces Alisson to scramble. https://i.imgur.com/pDNMr1W.png I would love to have a reverse angle replay (if anyone has one please let me know), but this is the last shot I can find that shows the field as Alisson receives the ball. It's quite clear both from Klopp's history and from Alisson's style that we are not just looking to lump the ball forward aimlessly (though, in this case, it absolutely should have happened). So - is there a pass on? I'm not sure there's one that Alisson can see, which is why he decides to try and turn back inside. https://i.imgur.com/Mb2OrBm.png By the time the ball does reach him there's a covering Leicester player which makes and pass down the right hand dicey. Remember - he knows he's out of the goal. He knows that a bad pass to a Leicester play could result in a goal. He also knows that VVD is in a decent amount of room on the other side of the field. If he can turn and play the ball back across the field we might be about to spring a counter. https://i.imgur.com/Qu2c0kg.png He then makes mistakes #5 and #6. He doesn't sell the dummy anywhere near enough so Iheanacho is fully aware of what Alisson is going to try and has already shifted his weight. He also fails to get good enough contact on the ball so it gets stuck under his feet. https://i.imgur.com/xwyZ1aT.png There is a small question as to whether this is actually a foul. I would say (without having watched Serie A for ages) that in Italy it would be such - or at least all the players would crowd the ref and argue that. It would have been soft though. https://i.imgur.com/A4ZIxCm.png He does actually do well to get back in goal, but it's too little too late. This one is bad all round. We were rushed into making decisions that we didn't want to make by Leicester, they forced us into bad positions, and made a few mental errors that cost us. However, I'll go back to what I've said before - there is a deliberate, conscious decision to use Alisson as a ball-playing goalkeeper. This shouldn't be anything new or surprising to anyone. There are lessons to be learned and actions to be taken (from everyone), but don't be shocked when he tries this sort of thing again and again and again. It's literally why we bought him.

Poor Performances == Good Results?

I don't anyone would argue that we've played particularly well in these last couple of games. We got away with one yesterday and could have conceded against Brighton. A lot of people have trotted out the "well last season that would have happened" line but the fact remains that we are getting the results we want whilst playing badly. There's an element of luck running out, but at the same time imagine how good this team could be when they actually play well.

Tottenham

Spurs away could be anything. You never know if we're going to score 5, concede 5, or play out a drab 0-0 draw. In terms of team I suspect a pretty similar team to this one, but with Keita in place of one of Wijnaldum or Milner.

Our next fixture is against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. The match kicks off on the 15th of September at 12:30PM(BST)/07:30AM(ET).

Submitted September 02, 2018 at 12:00PM by voliton via reddit https://ift.tt/2C8l4Rq

[mysteryshelf]

BLOG TOUR - Saving Dabba

  Welcome to

THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF!

DISCLAIMER: This content has been provided to THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF by Breakthrough Promotions. No compensation was received. This information required by the Federal Trade Commission.

About the Book

ISBN-10: 1984926691

ISBN-13: 978-1984926692

CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Paperback: 246 pages

March 3, 2018, $12.99

Genre: Mystery

Series: Beth Bowman Series

  Also available in Kindle edition

  Beth Bowman is a PI in Coral Lakes, FL who works with a homeless group. When one of them turns up brutally beaten to death, Beth feels obligated to become involved. She learns there is a group in town to demonstrate, Friends Intent on The Environment (FITE) who could be involved. Another murder occurs and evidence points to Dabba, one of Beth’s friends. Beth sets her sights on FITE as their demonstrations become more violent. Cloie Morales, the leader of FITE is a formidable adversary, causing Beth to reach deep inside herself.

Interview with the Author

  What initially got you interested in writing?

That’s hard to answer, but I’m sure it starts with my lifelong love of reading. I don’t remember when it began, but it goes farther than my memory can trace. Also, I was blessed with teachers who insisted I write, not that I was thrilled with it at the time. Sometimes, it was a paper on a specific subject, and at other times, it allowed me to test my imagination. Usually mine came up in the B – C area—not for lack of story, but for grammar and spelling problems. I still have to stay on my toes for those two.

  What genres do you write in?

Oh, me. Wherever my imagination takes my next story. My first effort was Young Adult, then I moved into Mystery. Wrote a few of those before taking on Historical Fiction, Thrillers, and even some shots at Fantasy. I guess you’d say I’m all over the place. Of course, that doesn’t count short stories. My latest, SAVING DABBA, is a mystery/thriller featuring Beth Bowman. She delves into the world of “professional” demonstrations.

  What drew you to writing these specific genres?

I have to harken back to my reading habits. I read about everything except Romance and Sci-Fi, although I will slip in a Sci-Fi if it comes recommended high enough. I’m also a news junkie. So, my writing takes on a mix of the news-of-the-day and the genres I enjoy. The one thing that is consistent across all, though, is the “cleanliness” of my books. I see no need for gutter language in life or in literature, so I stay away from it. Also, blood and gore are absent from my writing.

  How did you break into the field?

Nothing fancy about it. Writing the best books I can, sending out queries, attending conferences, meeting agents, editors, and other authors, joining Mystery Writers of America, performing volunteer work, etc. For many years, I was a key volunteer with SleuthFest, the conference sponsored by the Florida Chapter of MWA, including chairing it several years. I served on the board of FMWA and was its president. Through these efforts, my name and my writing became known. The one thing I didn’t do and cannot do is shove my books in the faces of prospective buyers, whether it be an agent, an editor, or a reader.

  What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?

My hope is that each and every reader will simply enjoy their time with me. If they find a smile along the way, that’s even better. I write for my enjoyment and for theirs. Since I pride myself on accuracy in those areas where fiction gets a boost from non-fiction, I love it if a reader learns from one of my stories. For example, my wife was kind enough to help me research the bra gun that Beth Bowman uses. The concept works.

  What do you find most rewarding about writing?

First and foremost, someone saying, “Randy, I enjoyed your book,” whether face-to-face or in a review or an Internet post. Yes, I admit it makes my ego swell. I also enjoy meeting readers at book signings, appearances, conferences, etc. And when someone says, “I read your book . . .” That’s rewarding.

  What do you find most challenging about writing?

Accuracy and reality. As I said above, the non-fictional parts that appear in my books must be correct. I dig to make sure they are. The second aspect of that is putting my characters in “real” situations. I won’t have a hero or heroine “leap tall buildings in a single bound.” Not realistic. Not logical. My people function within a real world, perhaps stretched a bit for the sake of storyline, but one a reader can recognize.

  What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?

That’s the easiest question on the list. Read, read, and read, then read some more. Learn from the best. That does NOT mean copy. It means learn. Develop your own voice, your own style, but let the books you enjoy teach you.

  What type of books do you enjoy reading?

Mystery, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Main Stream. About anything except Romance. But, no matter what the book is, I expect it to be well written and have gone through the torturous process of editing. I will not accept badly written books. There is no excuse for them.

  Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?

I was a career US Army officer and enjoyed it. I hope people will honor those who are currently keeping our country safe. It’s not about me, it’s about freedom.

  What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?

Email me (Please!) at RandyRawls89@gmail.com. I love to hear from people. Amazon has all my books. Some are out of print, but those are available as EBooks. And, of course, through this blog.

  About the Author

  Randy Rawls was born and reared in Williamston, North Carolina, a small town in the northeastern part of the state. From there, he says he inherited a sense of responsibility, a belief in fair play, and a love of country. As a career US Army officer, he had the opportunity to learn, travel, teach, and hone talents inherited from his parents. Following retirement, he worked in other ventures for the US Government. Every job has in some way been fun. Even the dark days of Vietnam had their light moments, and he cherishes the camaraderie that was an integral part of survival in that hostile world.

  Today, he has short stories in several anthologies, and a growing list of novels to his credit. As a prolific reader, the reads across several genres and takes that into his writing. He has written mysteries, thrillers, an historical, and two fantasy/mystery/thrillers featuring a Santa Elf. The count is now at fourteen and growing. He is a regular contributor to Happy Homicides, a twice annual anthology of cozy short stories. He also has a series of short stories featuring a cattle-herding burro. Wherever his imagination will take him, he follows.

  www.randyrawls.com

https://www.facebook.com/randy.rawls.315

  Buy links for Saving Dabba

  Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Dabba-Beth-Bowman-4/dp/1984926691/ref=sr_1_1_twi_pap_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1520370020&sr=8-1&keywords=saving+dabba

    Buy link for Jingle and his Magnificent Seven:

  Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jingle-Magnificent-Seven-Randy-Rawls-ebook/dp/B0753D84HJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520370495&sr=1-1&keywords=jingle+and+his+magnificent+seven

      BLOG TOUR – Saving Dabba was originally published on the Wordpress version of The Pulp and Mystery Shelf with Shannon Muir

[strangegeez]

The defiant HMS Thunder Child attacks the Martian abominations. 

I've always wanted to view The War of the Worlds from another perspective. My new vision would remain in the same steampunk realm of Victorian Britain. I admired that era in history. I thought it would be exciting for a reader to see the apocalyptic world through another pair of eyes.Many of us fantasise about escaping into a domain of science fiction. I still live inside a schoolboy’s imagination where I can go on grand adventures and battle mythical Titans. Of course, I always defeat them. I also enjoy historical stories. The feel of being in the land of yesterday is stimulating. From an early age, my mind has always been full of fantasies. I was captivated by the notion of dystopian lands or themes with a turbulent and exciting past.The War of the Worlds fits into sci-fi and historical genres. I freely admit to being biased towards this story on account of it being British based. I'm compelled by much that has a British feel. I also know there are fabulous and wonderful stories from across the world that deserve applause.I remember enjoying The Day of the Triffids and The Chrysalids. Both the novels were written by John Wyndham. I read them during my English literature course. On the historical front, I had fallen madly in love with Lorna Doone. I thought R.D. Blackmore's compelling story was a joy. I never wanted it to end. I wanted to be John Ridd winning the affections of the fairest lady of my fantasy.In my English literature class, the teacher (Mrs Foster) would get each pupil to read allowed for a few pages before selecting another student to continue. Gradually, we developed confidence as we read aloud. My English teacher was very good at encouraging us to be bold and clear when reading. Those pupils that were slow at first, began to read with seasoned ease after a short time. Sometimes the teacher would stop and explain issues that the author was trying to get across. Mrs Foster was also very articulate. When she spoke to the class we listened. She had total control of all us adolescent boys. Many of us fancied ourselves as Jack the lad. But not in Mrs Foster’s class. She was not a strict teacher and was never given to scolding us. She did not have to. This was because she had that infectious enthusiasm to get us into the books. It worked. We all lived inside the pages and chapters. We were encouraged to dive into these worlds and escape. My adrenalin would soar. My imagination knew no bounds. I wanted to live in a world of danger.I’m certain the idea of writing my own story germinated in those English literature classes back in the seventies decade. A happy time when I was at my secondary school. It left me with a love of books. When I started work in the city of London, I always looked forward to commuting. I would have my book to read going to, and coming home from work.When I first read The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, I started to imagine how I might be a Victorian British sailor from the time of 1898. This occurred when reading a particular episode that compelled me to dwell on the incident for a long time afterwards. Perhaps a little on the obsessive side. I was on board the HMS Thunder Child. I could see H.G. Wells’ horrendous portrayal of Britain in panic. The alien fighting machines shooting heat rays and blanketing the conquered land with sterilizing black smoke. In reality, I was sixteen and going work in London. The year was 1977 and the train was rolling along. I was a low-grade filling clerk in a Re-insurance company. I watched underwriters dealing with Re-insurance brokers from Lloyds. Yet I wanted to be sixteen and in the Victorian Royal Navy of 1898. In this illusion, I was low-grade sea cadet watching the powers that be deal with this uncanny situation. A surreal world where giant Martian contraptions stalked the Earth.I wanted to know more of the HMS Thunder Child and her plucky crew. The intrepid ship was a monument of heroism. The most valiant vessel on Earth. Mythical, but real in my mind's eye. A reader could live in that danger and return to a cosy chair afterwards. How did the Victorian ship arrive at such a circumstance? Perhaps the crew had never seen such things as the Martian fighting machines. The HMS Thunder Child would be at sea. News of such alien abominations would come via strange semaphore messages. Imagine the surreal information coming from the shore stations. Invaders from Mars striding about and destroying the entire fabric of human civilization. Would you believe such outrageous fixations? The HMS Thunder Child would be alive with speculation and disbelief.As readers of the original story, we would know these sailors would be destined to confront three Martian fighting machines. The huge monster tripods that will wade into the River Blackwater to attack a paddle steamer full of fleeing refugees. The small ironclad would steam to the rescue. The coal-driven engines would move her between the Martians and the escaping boat. The HMS Thunder Child against the monumental three. Each abomination, a colossal edifice of battle. That would be the final goal of the story. Everything must lead to the climactic conflict. The small section of the original story. A pastiche to lure an avid science fiction reader.

When the time was right.One day, I decided I would go further with my pretence. I would go aboard the legendary ship and invite others who might wish to come along. I would write a pastiche story dedicated to The H.M.S. Thunder Child. I began to imagine the captain and other ranks. I looked through history books and decided the ship would look like HMS Devastation. I knew my aim for the story. I had an end before the adventure had started. Now I needed a beginning and a compelling storyline between start and finish. There were so many rudimentary ideas. With these basic concepts, I begin to write things down. As I did, more thoughts began to manifest and soon my appetite for the tale began to take control.

I Needed a New Perspective.The classic sci-fi tale could be shown from a new and unique perspective. I wanted to re-create the dystopian world of Victorian Britain in chaos. Being on board the HMS Thunder Child would be a magnificent way to offer a fly on the wall account. Watching from the sea as though one could be a spectator from a safe distance. A new viewpoint through the eyes of the Royal Navy crew. The pastiche novel had to convey a greater understanding and appreciation of the original classic.

The Pastiche Project

Step1. The Tale Begins to develop 

The book was an enjoyable venture and many fine ideas fell into place. The delightful indulgence took the best part of a year. A little here and there. It became my hobby. A forbearance that took up much of my free time. A tolerance that I easily allowed for myself. It was like being an artist trying to paint a landscape. Except my panorama was with words and it could move. The whole endeavour was wonderful and very absorbing. Gradually I got to the finishing line of my written work contribution.

Step 2. The Next Phase of the Story’s Creation

No matter how pleased we should be with ourselves we must stop and think. We are pleased because we have got all of our wonderful words down on a canvas of creation. We must get a liberated assessment. Especially if the writer is an independent author. There will be many mistakes and a good critic will wade in and unpick every sentence.I knew that the next step for my story would require proper editing. I put my project before a board of qualified editors. They began to bid for the editorial work of my story. These bids came with an overall price and some sample pages to show what the editorial work looked like.

Step 3. Choosing Your Freelance Editor

It is important to know that good online editorial agencies have a list of qualified editors. These people must have all the relevant qualifications. The agencies will check these and only recruit freelance editors that make the grade. It is important to know that there are a lot of predators out there.I selected an editor after some sample pages came back. There were many that were good and choosing from so many fine bids was hard. I was spoilt for choice. Then the professional editorial work followed, chapter by chapter. There were many errors that I had missed time and again. I was pleased that I had accomplished the written work but realised I could not see the wood for the trees. Each page seemed to be a sea of red. Nothing escaped scrutiny. I got my page in red and the edited one side by side. Although I was shocked by the many errors, when I read the newly edited version, I was thrilled by how better the story flowed. I would advise any independent author to get good editorial work done.

Step 4. I Needed a Front Cover to Capture One’s Imagination.

After the editorial work came the front cover. Again, there were so many artists that put in bids for this work. There were lots of wonderful samples. I felt guilty having to choose one and reject so many other fabulous bids. I think the completion of the cover design caused my excitement to reach a new and undreamed of height. This was it. The moment had arrived.Finally.My adaptation was done. A science fiction and alternative history pastiche of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds. The Martians did fall from the sky in 1898. I could offer science fiction lovers a chance to join the crew of the HMS Thunder Child as she embarked upon her incredible voyage. Walk her decks before her courageous battle with three Martian tripod fighting machines. An action that takes place on the River Blackwater in the county of Essex, England, the UK. The golden age of Queen Victoria's Empire. An alternative British Empire in a more dreadful circumstance. An empire that is vanquished within days.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1484088263/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_lm4rAbV18Z6E7

[thehowtostuff-blog]

Herbs like basil, parsley, thyme, and oregano are great additions to your indoor plants, and they'll lead to lots of yummy foods! Once you decide which kind of herbs you'd like to grow, either plant the seeds in some nutrient-rich soil, take a cutting from a previous plant, or buy a little baby herb plant that's ready to grow. Herbs need at least 4-6 hours of sunlight a day to be healthy, so make sure you place them in a spot where they'll receive the best care.

EditSteps

EditChoosing Your Herbs

Plant chives for an onion-flavored herb. Chives are a relatively low-maintenance herb to grow—they require about 4-6 hours of sunlight a day and a temperature between and .[1]

Use chives in garnishes, salads, sauces, or soups, just to name a few.

Plant chives seeds in nutrient-rich soil.

Select parsley for a sun-loving plant. You can start parsley from seed easily or buy a baby parsley plant. Parsley is a great herb to add flavor to your food, and it does well in fluctuating temperatures.[2]

Use parsley on foods like chicken, roasts, fish, grilled steaks, or vegetables.

Look for a healthy, green parsley plant at your local nursery, or give it lots of sunlight and rich soil if you're planting it from seed.

Grow oregano for an herb rich in antioxidants. You can either purchase a baby oregano plant to keep indoors, or you can take a cutting from an oregano plant you might already have outside. Give oregano plenty of sunlight and well-draining soil.[3]

Oregano is often used on pizzas, in sauces, or mixed in with salad.

Take a cutting by removing a healthy section of the oregano and placing it in a cup of fresh water.

Pick out a thyme plant to provide great flavor. Thyme needs lots of sunlight—at least 6-8 hours a day or more. It does well in fluctuating temperatures and likes soil that drains well.[4]

Use thyme in soups, stews, and sauces.

Find a thyme plant at your local nursery or garden store.

Sow basil seeds to grow healthy basil plants. Basil can be a bit tricky to grow, but it’s easiest if you start from seeds. Basil needs constant warmth, so it’s not a great herb to grow next to cool windows or in a climate where the temperature drops a significant amount at night.[5]

Basil is used to make pesto and many other pasta dishes, as well as to treat several different ailments.

Keep basil warm near a window and avoid letting it feel a drop in temperature.

If you’re purchasing basil seeds online, make sure you look for a reliable seed seller.

Cultivate rosemary for an aromatic herb. Rosemary does well if you take a cutting from a grown plant, or you can purchase a baby rosemary plant that’s ready to be cared for. Rosemary does well as long as the temperature stays between and , and it likes at least 6 hours of sunlight.[6]

Use rosemary in vinegars, oils, or sauces, among others.

Cut off a section of a rosemary plant and stick it in a cup of water to watch it grow roots.

Choose sage for strong flavor and health benefits. Either buy a sage plant from your local nursery or take a sage cutting and grow it in a pot. Sage needs well-draining soil and full sun, but it can tolerate dry air well.[7]

Sage goes well with many different types of meats, but it’s quite strong, so use it in small amounts.

Visit your local nursery to find a baby sage plant or cut off a section of an already-grown sage plant to watch roots form in a cup of water.

EditStarting from Seed

Purchase your seeds from a reliable source. You can visit your local nursery or garden store to pick out seeds of the herb you’d like to grow, or you can purchase seed packets online. Many seed packets come with over 100 seeds each, providing you with plenty of seeds.

Reliable sources have a good reputation and positive buyer reviews.

You can also ask your local nursery or garden store employees where they recommend buying seeds online.

Prepare a container with nutrient-rich soil. The container should have drainage holes to let water pass through—clay pots are a good option, as are tiny seed trays designed for growing lots of different sections of seeds. Fill ¾ of the container with well-draining potting soil.[8]

You can find nutrient-rich potting soil at a garden or home improvement store.

Seed trays have multiple cells, perfect for growing several different seeds or herbs at once.

Sprinkle a few seeds into the container. If you’re using small seed trays, scatter 2-3 seeds in each tray. If you’re using a larger pot, you may want to sprinkle about 5 seeds into the soil, just in case some of them don’t sprout.[9]

Spread the seeds evenly so that none of them are on top of each other.

Cover the seeds with a fine layer of soil. Sprinkle just enough soil over the seeds so that they’re not exposed—a thickness of about is good. A thin layer of soil will protect the seeds while allowing the small seedling to sprout through the soil.[10]

Don’t pack down the soil once you spread it in the container.

Place the container in a warm spot with dappled light. Once the seeds have been planted, set the container near a warm window that receives lots of light or in a warm room.[11]

It’s not necessary for the seeds to be in direct sunlight while they germinate.

Use a spray bottle to water the seeds. Fill up a spray bottle full of water and mist the soil. If you’re not sure if you’ve watered them enough, let the water soak in for about an hour and check on the seeds again—if the soil is dry, it could need more water.[12]

Make sure you use a saucer or plastic tray underneath the container to catch any water that drains out.

Use a piece of plastic to cover the container to keep moisture inside of the soil.

EditCaring for the Herbs

Use a saucer or drain pan to catch excess water. It's common for the plant to release water through the drainage holes in its container when it has too much. Placing some sort of liner underneath the container will not only keep water from leaking everywhere, but it will also protect your surface.[13]

Opt for drain pans made of plastic or rubber as opposed to clay—clay lets water pass through more easily.

Keep the herbs in a warm, sunny environment. Herbs like a temperature of about indoors, as well as some indirect sunlight. If the temperature outside drops a bit at night, this is okay for most plants as long as it warms back up in the morning.[14]

Place the herbs in a south-facing window, if possible.

Basil is one exception—it doesn’t like cool weather and will start drooping if the temperature drops.

Keep the leaves from touching the glass window to prevent it from getting too hot or too cold.

Set up artificial light sources to help the herbs grow. If the herbs aren’t able to get 6 hours of natural sunlight a day, purchase clamp-on reflector lights with fluorescent bulbs. You can set these lights above the plants to provide sufficient lighting.[15]

These lights can be kept on for up to 12 hours a day, depending on the plant's needs.

Wait for the herbs to dry out before watering them. Most herbs don’t need constant watering. Check to see if the plant is dry, and if so, water the soil directly instead of pouring water all over the leaves and stem.[16]

You can check to see if the herb has dried out by sticking your finger down into the soil near the roots. If this underground section feels dry, it’s time to water the plant.

Don’t leave standing water in the drain pan—this can cause rot.

Apply a liquid fertilizer to keep the herbs healthy. Herbs like fertilizers such as fish emulsion or liquid seaweed. When you’re picking out a fertilizer, avoid ones that promote blooms to keep the energy focused on creating new leaves.[17]

Read the instructions on the fertilizer to determine how much to use on the herbs, as well as how often.

Most fertilizers are applied every couple of weeks.

Cut the herbs to encourage growth. Trimming your herbs frequently will cause new leaves to form, expanding your plant. Start from the top of the plant, cutting right below where a leaf meets the stem. You can also use your fingers to pinch off the leaves, as desired.[18]

Never cut off more than one third of the plant.

Use sharp, clean scissors or cutting shears.

EditTips

Rotate your plants every week so that they don’t start leaning in one direction.

Cover the saucer or drain pan with pebbles and place your potted herb on top—this helps promote air circulation through the plant.

Check with your local nursery or online resource to find out the best way to grow your chosen herb, whether from a cutting, by seed, or by purchasing a baby plant.

Grow your herb from a cutting by snipping off a healthy section of the plant and placing it in water.

EditWarnings

If you see your herbs growing longer stems and fewer leaves, this might mean that they’re not getting enough sunlight.

Avoid getting fertilizer on the leaves, as you might be eating them.

Overwatering is the biggest cause of herb issues. Always make sure the herb actually needs water before watering it.

Yellowing leaves can be a sign of overwatering and root rot.

EditRelated wikiHows

Light Up an Indoor Garden

Create Your own Mini Garden

Grow Herb Gardens from Seed

Design a Successful Indoor Garden

Build a Hydroponic Garden

Grow Rosemary Indoors

EditSources and Citations

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from How to of the Day https://ift.tt/2kFzT26